Ribera del Duero

The Ribera del Duero DO, astride the Duero River, is in the centre of the Castilla y León municipality. This area has become famous in a short period of time for the red wines of excellent quality.  The size of the area is small and most of the vineyards and wineries are family-owned, not always in ideal conditions. The vineyards are located at an altitude of 500 to 800 meters with severe climatic conditions. It is very cold in winter and strong winds blow through the Meseta, the high-altitude plateau where the Duero River has eroded a deep valley, while it is very dry and hot in summer. There is a high risk of spring frosts and the growing season is short, however, fermentation at low temperature is possible thanks to the cold climate in autumn. This maintains the concentration of grape flavours that have raised the reputation of wines of this region. The topography is characterised by the steep slopes of the valley along the Duero. The vineyards are situated on the slope or the valley floors. The east and the west have two different soil types. In the east of the region, the soil is alluvial with sand and clay while limestone is dominant in the north.  In the west the soil contains little limestone which produces wines with deep colour and rich taste. Only red and rosé wines are produced in Ribera del Duero. Tempranillo (known here as Tinto Fino) is the major grape variety and the DO wines should contain 75% or more of the grape. The ageing period is according to the regulations for Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva although some wines are aged for much longer. Crianza wines of Ribera del Duero are thought to be of equivalent quality to Reserva wines of other regions, with the exception of Rioja. They can often be less expensive than nearby Rioja with some great value wines available